LAUSANNE, Switzerland, July 7 -- The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Monday that all three cities bidding for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games will go through to the candidate phase of the process.

Almaty (Kazakhstan), Oslo and Beijing remain in contention but Oslo could yet withdraw, as the Norwegian bid has not secured government backing.

The IOC will select the host city by a secret vote in Kuala Lumpur on July 31, 2015.

Munich (Germany), Krakow (Poland), Stockholm (Sweden), St Moritz-Davos (Switzerland) and Lviv (Ukraine) had pulled out of the race due to various reasons.